It was the moment supporters of Queen’s Pier have waited years to see.

A ’topping off’ ceremony witnessed the laying of decking planks on the first section of the pier to be restored.

After decades of dithering by government and a series of consultants’ reports that estimated restoration would cost tens of millions of pounds, volunteers showed they could embark on the project much more efficiently - and at a fraction of the cost.

But they could never have factored in the impact of a global pandemic. Covid restrictions meant work had to be put on hold for weeks.

The Queen’s Pier Restoration Trust now has to make up for lost time - while working to strict social distancing rules.

Project manager Stuart McKenzie said: ’We went back to work last Monday under a set of strict protocols which we are adhering to as far as practical, the main one of which is to assign separate discrete tasks as far away as possible from others.

’One volunteer might be fastening down the tram lines on bay 1 while another is cutting out old iron on bay 3 and I am sourcing materials in the portable cabin.

’We have lost a lot of valuable time and marvellous weather but will work hard to catch up.

’Of course there are volunteers who cannot return at present because they are in the vulnerable category so we are depleted in numbers but it is good to see bay 1 taking final shape.’

As well as laying the first decking planks this week, volunteers have installed some railing stanchions and started removing some of the old ironwork on bay 3.